US-VISIT Enrollment Requirements

US-VISIT >> Who's Required?

US-VISIT currently applies to all visitors (with limited exemptions) entering the United States. This includes visitors traveling under the Visa Waiver Program (effective September 30, 2004.) US-VISIT does not apply to U.S. citizens.

Foreign visitors traveling to the United States have their two index fingers scanned and a digital photograph taken to match and authenticate their travel documents at the port of entry. The US-VISIT requirements do not replace visa requirements for entering the United States.  For more information on visas, please visit the U.S. Department of State's Visa Information pages.

US-VISIT Exceptions

Exceptions for US-VISIT include:

• Visitors admitted on an A-1, A-2, C-3, G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO-1, NATO-2, NATO-3, NATO-4, NATO-5, or NATO-6 visa
• Children under the age of 14
• Persons over the age of 79
• Classes of visitors the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security jointly determine shall be exempt
• An individual visitor the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Director of Central Intelligence Agency jointly determine shall be exempt
• Taiwan officials who hold E-1 visas and members of their immediate families who hold E-1 visas.
• Applicability to Canadian citizens
• Applicability to Mexican citizens

These exceptions are published in the Federal Register, which can be viewed below:

• January 5, 2004
• August 31, 2004

US-VISIT is an important first step in a multi-layered approach to enhancing border security, and we will continue to explore ways to improve the program to ensure we are building the best border security system possible.

This page was last reviewed/modified on June 9, 2008.